Discontinued The Grasshopper

[Vapor_Eyes]

I recently ended my voluntary T-break and have been using my Grasshoppers again. The Ti unit is still working well but the SS seems to be running cold. I noticed this drop in performance right before my break earlier this year but considering I was taking a break and with the long wait for warranty I decided not to send it in. I thought about just buying a body but the auto shutoff hasn’t worked either since the last repair in October 2017. If I put my Ti back end on my SS body it still runs cold but the auto shutoff works. If I put my SS back end on my Ti body it heats well but doesn’t turn off automatically. One benefit of having multiple devices is that it makes it easier to troubleshoot.

I guess it is finally time to fix my SS hopper.

 

[NOLOGO]

When you look at the circuit board in the body you can see where the positive terminal of the battery either rubs off the contact over time, or sort of polishes it. (I think it was discussed at length many moons ago. Does anyone remember what that is?
@Hopper Labs could you possibly remind us?)

But anyway my point is that that area is smaller diameter than the entire contact's area, but maybe not as large as the negative end of a battery. Then you have solder with varying tolerances, right at the edge of the gold contact, and I would think that the negative end might could touch some of it. In some hoppers but not necessarily ALL of them. This is, of course, simply speculation.

 

[Cheesequake]

Early reservation still available for purchase nearly a week after it was supposed to close

 

[vapviking]

As we move inexorably toward our thousandth page...
Yikes.

 

[Mr. Me2]

Is it bad to leave a battery in the hopper when not in use?

That’s a great question. I always leave a battery in mine. I think a lot of people do and never remove it because they use the provided charger.

@Hopper Labs, can you confirm it’s okay?

 

[triskelion]

Won't risk the house, remember whose house just got burned?

 

[Raf]

That’s a great question. I always leave a battery in mine. I think a lot of people do and never remove it because they use the provided charger.

@Hopper Labs, can you confirm it’s okay?

They definitely never said it wasn't okay LOL but I know that's not the same thing

@triskelion you're getting inside my head man, I'm going to start disassembling my Hopper and bury the nose, clicky, body and battery in the four corners of my yard each night as a precaution

My personal basically worthless opinion is that unless your battery has made in China stamped on the side or it's inserted backwards, you can probably leave it in the device... or if the wrapper is torn or even if the edges are pushed up a little on the end because you f***** up with your nitecore charger then don't use that battery anymore

Please correct me if I'm wrong but the battery fails while it's charging or being discharged and the thing can't click itself

 

[triskelion]

Safety first man,

 

[rnartian]

Remember when the batteries were $7 and available?

Real question for @Hopper Labs though. Are there any specific care instructions to make our batteries last as long as possible? Do we charge+discharge? Do we condition them? Do we never let them go completely dead? I'm also interested in what would be the safest way to store them, ie. can we leave them in the hopper indefinitely or if we should take them out and store them and how long their lifespan is estimated to be if we do what you recommend. Because, maybe I'm poor, but a $14 proprietary battery is a slight investment alongside the now $250-300 units.

 

[Raf]

Remember when the batteries were $7 and available?

Yeah it felt like robbing a bank adding 10 of these to a cart and then applying a discount code at some point back in the day lol. That was when they all just arrived loose in a bag and I was like damn these guys must really trust these batteries I feel safe

Ironically when vapefiend sent me two of the Chinese do not use batteries each one came in a little condom and there was like five different cards in the Box warning me about wrapper safety

 

[Vaporific]

That was when they all just arrived loose in a bag and I was like damn these guys must really trust these batteries I feel safe

I received new batts recently from HL all in a single bag, that was it. Hmmm. The more things change the more they stay the same

 

[Hopper Labs]

@Hopper Labs: is there reverse polarization protection built into the device, has it been there all along, and if not when was it added?[/QUOTE]

Yes but the battery label cannot be torn. If the label is torn, there is a second tier of protection which will ruin the backend but stop the flow of reverse current.

That’s a great question. I always leave a battery in mine. I think a lot of people do and never remove it because they use the provided charger.

@Hopper Labs, can you confirm it’s okay?

You can leave the battery in the device. If you did so and did not charge the device for 6 months or a year the battery might drain beyond the point of being able to be charged. For long term storage, it would be smart to remove it.

 

[ChooChooCharlie]

Anecdotal evidence alert!

Been rotating between two Hoppers for last six months, never removed batteries. Mag charger with timer to reduce full charging. Use each about five times per day. A good run of luck, perchance?

BTW, the maker of the Grasshopper Feeder (search on ebay) also sells Hopper battery spacers to reduce external charger fumbling/negative spring slicing. Haven't tried it, as I use mag

 

[Raf]

Anecdotal evidence alert!

Been rotating between two Hoppers for last six months, never removed batteries. Mag charger with timer to reduce full charging. Use each about five times per day. A good run of luck, perchance?

BTW, the maker of the Grasshopper Feeder (search on ebay) also sells Hopper battery spacers to reduce external charger fumbling/negative spring slicing. Haven't tried it, as I use mag

That's funny I don't think I've ever had one of the magnetic Chargers that actually worked but I don't think I bothered trying the last few I was sent. What do you mean when you say "with timer"?

To me holding a metal cylinder plugged into a wall socket made me kind of uncomfortable so I like the removable batteries and even balancing things in the nitecore is a zen exercise

What's supposed to happen if the charger works correctly? It blinks red until full and then shuts off?

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

Yes but the battery label cannot be torn. If the label is torn, there is a second tier of protection which will ruin the backend but stop the flow of reverse current.

Thanks for the info, that gives me some piece of mind and I won’t be quite so paranoid about battery orientation in the future. I’ll still be very vigilant in regards to the wrapper as I have always been in the past.

Is warranty service open again and if not do you have an estimated time frame? I need to send my SS unit in because the auto-off isn’t working and it’s running cold with a very long heat up time.

 

[ChooChooCharlie]

That's funny I don't think I've ever had one of the magnetic Chargers that actually worked but I don't think I bothered trying the last few I was sent. What do you mean when you say "with timer"? ... What's supposed to happen if the charger works correctly? It blinks red until full and then shuts off?

@Raf -- I posted pic on page 980, and amazon link to timer further down in another post on that same page. I use Ratchett's charger stand, velcro taped it to a weight for better stability. This stand only works with the current mag charger, not the original from initial release. The wall timer has an outlet on side, plug in any ipad usb charger. After my normal one 30 sec or two short draws, dump, put on charger, tap 15 min button. If hungry for more, grab second hopper. Home hopper user here, and understand this style of use better at home

Yeah, I'm answering and blabbing more than you asked about... during mag charging, it blinks red. When fully charged, it changes to blue blinking. My goal by tapping 15 min timer button, is hoping timer runs out before blue full. Learned about not fully charging here on FC, through links to battery university

Of two hoppers, one is 2017, other late 2018. Interesting how, given same batteries, the newer hopper behaves differently. The newer one must be more efficient somehow, it doesn't require 15 min charge every session. I'm upset when I notice a blue full blink, meaning a full charge. Sounds weird, I know

And, the newer hoppers may do some sort of level checking after attaching mag charger -- long ten second wait for the red blinking light, but old hoppers start blinking right away

 

[david8613]

New re-review!

 

[Baron23]

New re-review!

Thank you for posting, David. I like Pete and his content/store a lot and support him. But, that doesn't mean we always agree. In particular?

1. If you can get .3 g in a GH oven, then you should try for a Ripley's record on how many people you can pack into a phone booth (eh, dated...how about into a Smart Car? haha). Personally, I find it to be right at .12 g. Maybe .15 if packed slightly. But no way can I see loading .3 g. Also, I never pack my GH loads. I use a Delta 3D funnel...or the web between my thumb and forefinger if out and about...and scoop in fine grind from my BCG. Seems to be the perfect pack and I think trying to pack it in will only result in increased draw resistance.

2. Green on top of the load - much like an ELB or a MV1 crucible, I will run a load out and open to see and it will indeed be a bit green on top. Give it a stir and hit it again seems to not be productive because the green is only the very top layer. When dumped out onto paper, can't even find it. I used to give a stir and hit it again, but it was a waste of a breath of hot air, IMO.

3. I note that Pete quit drawing and then turned the unit off....or did so simultaneously. I believe that Hopper recommended it, but in any case, I turn it off and keep drawing for a half second/second which will pull the heat out of the unit. Just in the interest of babying this sometimes delicate and oft failed device.

Here's to hoping that Hopper gets back up and running soonest and that their new GH's meet our expectations for reliability, maintainability, and consistent performance. Cause when you have a proper working GH, there is nothing like it in the dry herb category.

Cheers

 

[muunch]

1. If you can get .3 g in a GH oven, then you should try for a Ripley's record on how many people you can pack into a phone booth (eh, dated...how about into a Smart Car? haha). Personally, I find it to be right at .12 g. Maybe .15 if packed slightly. But no way can I see loading .3 g. Also, I never pack my GH loads. I use a Delta 3D funnel...or the web between my thumb and forefinger if out and about...and scoop in fine grind from my BCG. Seems to be the perfect pack and I think trying to pack it in will only result in increased draw resistance.

I weighed with my milligram scale and found I could get 0.2g in - slightly more than the 0.15g I can fit in my vapcap.

ymmv for sure. we all pack/grind our herb differently

 

[Mr Mellish]

2. Green on top of the load - much like an ELB or a MV1 crucible, I will run a load out and open to see and it will indeed be a bit green on top. Give it a stir and hit it again seems to not be productive because the green is only the very top layer. When dumped out onto paper, can't even find it. I used to give a stir and hit it again, but it was a waste of a breath of hot air, IMO.


Cheers

I find this interesting. Even at 3.5 on the latest color Ti, I have yet to see green anywhere (but our ultimate conclusions are the same).

It produces the most consistent, cocoa/chocolate brown ABV of anything else I own. 5-6 10 second draws at 3.5 (shutting off between draws and drawing for a second or two after clicking-off) produces ABV that I can't imagine using for anything at all. What doesn't fall apart as powder (most of it does) when dumped can be induced to fall apart with as little as a blow of air (or gentle finger pressure).

 

[rnartian]

With all of you raving here, it makes me really want to try the GH with the improved heater, even on my lower end budget Still, I do agree with @Baron23 ! When you have a hopper that works, it really is a delight, and especially subtle in illegal states. I could go outside of my building, get the microdose I need, lick my lips/chew some gum, and head to class with no one being any wiser and not feeling stressed over looking suspicious or having to find a way to hide my vape. Nothing really beat it in portability and stealth, for sure.

 

[Raf]

Green at the top of the load only happens if you have too much material in the chamber. Restricted heat flow reduces convection temperature as the vapor exits the device, leaving the very top exposed to lower max temp. As most of us have figured out, this thing works a lot better with a fluffy/loose load. With unrestricted hot air flow, the material at the top of the chamber encounters the same temperature as the material closest to the heating element and you end up with @Mr Mellish type uniform results even on 1.5 (with newest heaters).

Uniform gold on 1.5 instead of dark brown with it set to "kill" at 3+

 

[david8613]

Mine has zero green, all nicely vaped but those clouds he blew where incredible, I haven't got that yet. I have to learn how to do that.

 

[VaPeD&CoNfUsEd]

I don’t know what GH has changed in its most recent version of the gh but holy shit! I just got my new unit today and out of all of my hoppers and RMA’s hoppers I’ve never had one that hits like this! I mean my god! It’s a freaking evo in a pen format! The power in this thing is fucking ridiculous! It feels like it’s finally the vaporizer we were always told it had the potential to be.

 

[muunch]

I don’t know what GH has changed in its most recent version of the gh but holy shit! I just got my new unit today and out of all of my hoppers and RMA’s hoppers I’ve never had one that hits like this! I mean my god! It’s a freaking evo in a pen format! The power in this thing is fucking ridiculous! It feels like it’s finally the vaporizer we were always told it had the potential to be.

Imagine how I feel! Never tried a 'hopper before this, and I have a barely 1 month old hopper...

I've never had a vaporizer hit like this, plugin or portable.